Here are two more parables that talk about seeds, growth, and the kingdom of God. I think the kingdom of God aspect could use more research--what exactly does Jesus mean by this? I'm seeing the theme of growth, massive growth. This reminds me of a passage I was just studying in Daniel, where a boulder "not cut by human hands" crushes the earthly kingdoms and grows into a mountain that fills the whole earth.
I'm not going to comment too much because I want to wait until this evening, when I have time to really get out my resources and dig into this topic. The emphasis on the kingdom of God and Jesus' references to himself as the "Son of Man" have deep roots in the book of Daniel, so that's probably where I'll start my search. What is Jesus referring to when he talks about the "kingdom of God?"
And remember, we're a diverse group, and likely to have a whole lot of different opinions about this. The nature of the kingdom of God has been a rather controversial topic throughout history. That's okay, as long as we keep the letter to the Ephesians in mind--we are all one family, with God as our father, and our unity in Christ is more important than our doctrinal disagreements. Jesus Himself is foremost, not our beliefs and opinions about him. Sing it with me!
"We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord...and we pray that all unity may one day be restored...and they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love..." :-D
I'll fire up my Logos software tonight (super-cool software that has most of the major commentaries built in, and allows you to toggle between all the major English translations and the original languages), see what I can find out, and pass it along. Until then, chatter amongst yourselves!
Mark 4:26-34 (New International Version, ©2010)
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” 33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Uh oh--I think I scared everyone into silence! :-D And I'm actually too tired to do the research I had planned on tonight, so it's going to have to wait. I'm going to chip away at some schoolwork then go to bed early. Good night, Chatterboxes!
ReplyDeleteHere is my understanding of what the “kingdom of God” means
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Daniel 2:44, God of heaven is going to set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed. God will put His rule in the earth (Zachariah 14:9) as well as in heaven. However, Satan also wants to rule heaven and earth and He created a wise plan:
(Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! {13} For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: {14} I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Notice, Satan’s ultimate goal: I will be like the most High. What does that mean?
Genesis 14:18-19 KJV And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. (19) And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, POSSESSOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH:
Since the time of Adam, we can see this conflict between God and Satan over who will possess the earth. Right now, even today, the course of this world is according to the prince of the power of the air (i.e. Satan) (Ephesians 2:1-3) In Luke 4:1-2;5-6, we see that man’s kingdoms are under the authority of Satan.
God’s response to all this is seen in Genesis 17:4-8, God calls out a man, Abram and promises him and his seed after him a land for an everlasting possession. He also changes his name to Abraham as it relates to God establishing a covenant with him. The token of this covenant is circumcision (Genesis 17:9-14) It is through these circumcised people that God will establish his kingdom on earth.
There are three main elements of this promise God made to Abraham and his seed: 1.) They will be God’s people. 2.) God will be their God. 3.) They will dwell in the land. As the scriptures reveal, we learn that the seed of Abraham became known as the nation of Israel. Over and over, the nation was unfaithful to God’s promises and provisions. God had a remedy for that in the New Covenant.
In Romans 15:8, the Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus Christ WAS a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. This is what we read in the gospel accounts of the Jesus’ earthly ministry. Matthew starts his gospel account with the book of the generation of Jesus Christ as the son of David , the son of Abraham, to show that He is the rightful heir to the throne of His kingdom. Matthew stresses the “son of Abraham” because what good would the throne be without a land to put it in? Jesus Christ is the rightful heir to the throne in the kingdom on earth and His earthly ministry is consistent with Daniel 2:44 and all the other covenants that were made in connection with a kingdom being set up on this earth. In this kingdom, Israel is the be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9) They will be the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13) It will be through the rise of Israel that the Gentiles will come to know the LORD (Isaiah 60:1) Jesus Christ will rule and reign on this earth and Israel will be the channel of blessing to all the other nations.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteIn the gospel accounts of Jesus’ earthly ministry, we read that He preached the gospel of the kingdom: the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. The time, referring to Daniel’s timetable.
As I understand it, it is that last week of Daniel’s prophecy, at the mid-week (3 ½ years) Satan will be cast out of heaven and he will go forth with a vengeance to deceive as many as he possible can because he will know he has but a short time before his final defeat. (Revelation 12) All through Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and the first 7 chapters of Acts, we see everything going on as scheduled. So, what happened to the kingdom? If it was at hand, why is it not set up yet?
Wait! It must have something to do with Satan’s plan that included those 5 statement where he declares he will do something, in particular, become like the most High (possessor of heaven and earth) What about the heaven part of his plan? Well, that is what the Apostle Paul’s ministry is about. God interrupted what He was going to accomplish with and through the nation Israel and began to do something new, something different than what the prophets spoke about when He saved Saul of Tarsus, who became the Apostle Paul.
God is preparing a people from the Gentiles to become a new creature, the Body of Christ that will rule and reign with Christ in the heavenly places. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul tells us there is spiritual wickedness in high places and we do not war with flesh and blood. Paul tells us that our hope is laid up for us in heaven (Colossians 1:5).
Colossians 1:16-20 KJV For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (20) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Notice there are positions of governmental authority in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible. And because of what was accomplished on the cross, all these will be reconciled unto Himself – the things in earth and in heaven.
Right now, the conflict between God and Satan is still going on. However, today in the dispensation of grace, it is not a physical battle for a physical piece of real estate, it is a spiritual battle going on as the formation of the body of Christ is taking place.
Satan has a plan to be like the most High and possess heaven and earth, but God has a better plan and purpose:
(Ephesians 1:9-10 KJV) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: {10} That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Part 3
ReplyDeleteSo, in conclusion, I understand that the Kingdom of God that is being referred to in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is referring to the earth and Jesus Christ’s rule and reign on the earth through the nation of Israel as kings and priests. We learn about our part, as members of the Body of Christ, in Romans – Philemon.
That mystery of His will is made known through the Apostle Paul’s ministry, through which we learn why in Acts 7, when Stephen saw the Son of Man STANDING, He has not yet come to judge the world, and instead he is saving sinners and showing forth his longsuffering. He interrupted what He was doing in the earth through the nation of Israel in order to form a new creature to rule and reign in the heavenly places.
Peter wrote to the believing remnant, the Little Flock, after he learned what God was doing through the ministry of the Apostle Paul and told them if they want to learn why that literal, earthly Davidic Kingdom had not yet been set to go and read Paul’s writings. It is in Paul’s epistles, Romans – Philemon, that we learn about how God is going to use the Gentiles, through Israel’s fall not their rising, to rule and reign with Christ in the heavenly places and how this was kept secret and not revealed before the Apostle Paul.
Ephesians 3:1-11 KJV For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, (2) If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: (3) How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, (4) Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) (5) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; (6) That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: (7) Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. (8) Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (9) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (10) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (11) According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
As I understand it, when God resumes His program with the earth and the nation of Israel to fulfill that last week of Daniel’s prophecy, at the mid-week (3 ½ years) Satan will be cast out of heaven and he will go forth with a vengeance to deceive as many as he possible can because he will know he has but a short time before his final defeat. Who is going to fill those empty seats of authority?
Today, when we proclaim what God is doing in the dispensation of grace and recognize the divisions God has made in the scriptures and know where we fit in God’s plan and purpose we declare to Satan and all his cohorts that are in the heavenly places the manifold wisdom of God. The biggest conflict in the world today is who is wiser – God or Satan?
(Romans 16:27 KJV) To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
(1 Timothy 1:17 KJV) Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
(Jude 1:25 KJV) To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
THE SON OF MAN
ReplyDeleteThere are two ways that the phrase “son of man” is used in scriptures. The first is how we see it used in Ezekiel referring to Ezekiel himself as a man, who as a prophet, was sent to speak God’s word to a rebellious people (Ezekiel 2:1-10). In Daniel, we see it used in another way.
Daniel 7:13-14 KJV I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
In the four gospel accounts of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus Christ refers to Himself as the Son of man about 80 times.
Matthew 25:31 KJV When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
John 5:22 KJV For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
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John 5:27 KJV And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Matthew 16:13-16 KJV When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (14) And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. (15) He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? (16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
So, the term when used of the Lord Jesus Christ, emphasizes His humanity as well as His Deity. Also, the term implies that it is He who has been given dominion, glory and a kingdom that will last forever. Also, as the Son of Man, He has the authority to judge all mankind.
Keeping your landscape plantings, flower beds, and nursery crops free of weeds is a battle, but if you approach it with a strategic plan, you will prevail. weed games
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